Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah Verse 70

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Certainly We took a pledge from the children of Isrā’īl and sent Messengers to them. Whenever a Messenger went to them with what did not meet their desires, they cried lie to some, and killed others.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, We took a covenant from the Children of Israel and sent them messengers. Whenever a messenger came to them with what they did not desire, they denied some and killed others.

Ruwwad Translation Center

We took the covenant from the Children of Israel and sent them messengers. Every time there came to them a messenger with something that did not suit their desires, they denied some of them and murdered others.

A. J. Arberry

And We took compact with the Children of Israel, and We sent Messengers to them. Whensoever there came to them a Messenger with that their souls had not desire for, some they cried lies to, and some they slew.

Abdul Haleem

We took a pledge from the Children of Israel, and sent messengers to them. Whenever a messenger brought them anything they did not like, they accused some of lying and put others to death;

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Assuredly We took a bond from the Children of Isra'il and We sent unto them apostles. Whenever there came unto them an apostle with that which their souls desired not, a party of them they belied and a party they slew.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We took the covenant of the Children of Israel and sent them messengers, every time, there came to them a messenger with what they themselves desired not - some (of these) they called impostors, and some they (go so far as to) slay.

Abul Ala Maududi

And We took a covenant from the Children of Israel and sent to them many Messengers. But whenever any Messenger brought to them something that did not suit their desires, they gave the lie to some of them and killed the others,

Ahmed Ali

We had taken a solemn pledge from the children of Israel, and sent messengers to them; but whenever an apostle came to them bringing what did not suit their mood, they called one imposter, another they slew,

Ahmed Raza Khan

We made a covenant with the Descendants of Israel and sent Noble Messengers towards them; whenever a Noble Messenger came to them with whatever was not according to their own desires, they denied some of them and some they slew.

Ali Quli Qarai

Certainly We took a pledge from the Children of Israel, and We sent apostles to them. Whenever an apostle brought them that which was not to their liking, they would impugn a part of them, and a part they would slay.

Ali Ünal

We did indeed make a covenant with the Children of Israel and (accordingly) We sent them Messengers (one after the other). But whenever a Messenger came to them with what did not suit (the desires of) their souls – some they would deny and some they would kill.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Surely, We took a covenant from the Children of Israel and We sent Messengers to them. Every time there came to them a Messenger with that (Message) which did not suit their fanciful desires, (they defied him so that) some they treated as liars and others they sought to kill.

English Literal

We had taken Israel`s sons` and daughters` promise/covenant, and We sent to them messengers, whenever a messenger came to them with what their selves do not desire, a group (some) they denied, and a group (some) they kill.

Faridul Haque

We made a covenant with the Descendants of Israel and sent Noble Messengers towards them; whenever a Noble Messenger came to them with whatever was not according to their own desires, they denied some of them and some they slew.

Hamid S. Aziz

And they thought that no harm would come to them; but they were blind and deaf! And then Allah turned (in mercy) again towards them: and even then many amongst them were wilfully blind and deaf! Allah is Seer of what they did.

Hilali & Khan

Verily, We took the covenant of the Children of Israel and sent them Messengers. Whenever there came to them a Messenger with what they themselves desired not - a group of them they called liars, and others among them they killed.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Surely those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabeans and the Christians -- whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good -- they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Certainly We made a covenant with the children of Israel and We sent to them apostles; whenever there came to them an apostle with what that their souls did not desire, some (of them) did they call liars and some they slew.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

We made a covenant of old with the Children of Israel and We sent unto them messengers. As often as a messenger came unto them with that which their souls desired not (they became rebellious). Some (of them) they denied and some they slew.

Muhammad Sarwar

We made a covenant with the Israelites and sent Messengers to them. Whenever a Messenger came to them with a message which did not suit their desires, they would reject some of the Messengers and kill others.

Qaribullah & Darwish

We took a covenant with the Children of Israel and sent forth Messengers to them. But whenever a Messenger came to them with that which did not suit their fancies they belied some and killed others.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, We took the covenant of the Children of Israel and sent Messengers to them. Whenever there came to them a Messenger with what they themselves desired not, a group of them they called liars, and others among them they killed.

Wahiduddin Khan

We made a covenant with the Children of Israel and sent forth messengers among them. But whenever a messenger came to them with a message that was not to their liking, some they accused of lying, while others they put to death,

Talal Itani

We made a covenant with the Children of Israel, and We sent to them messengers. Whenever a messenger came to them with what their souls did not desire, some of them they accused of lying, and others they put to death.

Tafsir jalalayn

And We made a covenant with the Children of Israel, to believe in God and His messengers, and We sent messengers to them. Every time a messenger came to them, from among them, with what their souls did not desire, in the way of truth, they denied it; some, of them, they denied, and some, of them, they slay, such as Zachariah and John (the use of [the present tense] yaqtuln, `they slay', instead of [the perfect tense] qatal is to narrate past events [as if in the present] and to conclude [in harmony with] the end- rhyme of the verses).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah says;

لَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَايِيلَ وَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ رُسُلً

Verily, We took the covenant of the Children of Israel and sent Messengers to them.

Allah reminds that He took the covenant and pledges from the Children of Israel to hear and obey Him and His Messenger. They broke these pledges and covenants and followed their lusts and desires instead of the law, and whichever part of the law they agreed with, they took it. Otherwise, they abandoned it, if it did not conform to their desires.

This is why Allah said,

كُلَّمَا جَاءهُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَى أَنْفُسُهُمْ فَرِيقًا كَذَّبُواْ وَفَرِيقًا يَقْتُلُونَ